


Johto Waves

by Azalea_and_Hydrangea



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Versions
Genre: Adult Content, Battle Scenes, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Explicit Language, F/M, Guzma - Freeform, Maybe some tasteful smut that is not important to the story but is there just cause, Minor Injuries, Pokemon, Pokemon Ultra Moon Version, Pokemon Ultra Sun Version, Serious Injuries, Slow Romance, mute character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-24 10:41:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30071010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azalea_and_Hydrangea/pseuds/Azalea_and_Hydrangea
Summary: “Plume,” She started softly. “When we had our whole heart to heart—girl talk thing—a few weeks ago and you said you wouldn’t hold any of what I said over my head; you clearly lied.”“Yeah, and?” No remorse. “You were the one who said you wanted to meet your long-lost childhood friend again. I mean, he’s right here on this island, Seven.”“And I do want to see him, but—” And she cut herself off, fingers playing with the Wimpod scale hung around her neck.“But he’s not like he used to be anymore?” The woman asked, and she nodded in response.“The whole region is wary of him—I mean, I’ve heard horror stories, Plume.” The admin smiled then before bumping their shoulders together.“You’re probably not the same either, right?” She glanced over at her friend again. “You’re both products of your environment; and Guzma? He’s still a good man, Seven.” And then Plumeria bumped their shoulders together again, somehow the other female trainer knew she was wavering—she could see it in Plume’s smug facial expression.“So, won’t you come?” Was what was asked in such a teasing, but knowing tone of voice.“Fine.” She huffed out.
Relationships: Oc/Guzma
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this one mostly written out for a while and I really wanna get it out there; so while I'm taking a break from my Avatar (James Cameron) writing, I will be updating this one. 
> 
> Let me know what you think!
> 
> Thanks guys!

She remembers him quite vividly—especially in the middle of a particularly rough battle; Pokémon following commands as both she and her opponent dodged around the field, her calling to the Vulpix, watching him effortlessly take down opponents much larger than himself. Yet, she remembers him best while in front of the storming ocean, or when biting into a chocolate covered ice cream in the heat of long summer days. It’d been nearly a decade since that year long vacation, but in spite of it, she always slept with her back to the wall, still not quite back to being comfortable while alone at night. Again, it was especially bad in the summer.

Summertime was always the worst for her. She yearned to go back to him, to see what kind of man he had become in her absence; but she never did. She always seemed to get wrapped up in something related to other people’s problems. Always asked to go here or there, fix this issue, and then another somewhere else. With this, she’d been to almost every region by the time she turned twenty years old. She had been to almost all of them. Beating their gyms, and fighting each of their champions, while being the reigning guardian of her own league.

She, was the current champion of the Indigo Plateau; keeper of both the Kanto and Johto regions, and guardian of the legendaries and trainers within that jurisdiction. That had been her title ever since she’d been halfway through her thirteenth year. Since she helped disband Team Rocket the first, only to turn right around to wreck them the second time. Ever since she beat Lance, and then Red; and since she befriended both the guardians of the Sea and Sky, respectively. And then the Geiko of Ecruteak had given her the precious whistle she always wore around her neck soon after.

She had been a busy girl. She was still busy. Always so busy, in fact, she had just come from an engagement in Kalos—

“Seven.” Ethan called at her rather than to her; waving his hand very, very close to her face. So close, that his palm lightly brushed the tip of her nose. Her fingertips dropped from the polished Wimpod scale that hung from the black velvet ribbon around her throat. What?

“Hello? Earth to Seven; come in Seven.” Ethan called once more. She shook her head as she leaned back from him, and noticed she was still standing in her kitchen, a mug of tea held in her hand as her childhood friend leaned over the island he was sat at.

“Yeah, I’m sorry, what did you say?” Ethan smiled at her then, his black hair still messy from his Sugar induced nap on her couch. Even if his house was literally less than a hundred steps from hers, he still slept in her living room more often than not.

“I said: I’d be glad to house sit for you again if you needed me to.” Her face scrunched. He always said that after one of her trips. It was obvious that she traveled way too much, and had way too many Pokémon, but it wasn't like she enjoyed all this hustle and bustle. It was just her job for the time being, the world would work itself out eventually—she hoped.

“I just got back from my second trip to Kalos, Ethan. I would hope Lance doesn’t plan to send me anywhere for a while.” She sipped at her tea then, and Ethan leaned over her countertop again, arms crossed and pressing into the granite. Then she gave in, and also rested against the kitchen island. She’d gone back to Kalos once more because Looker had called her. He’d said he needed some assistance setting up an investigation office in Lumiose City, so she went. She’d been gone for about two weeks that time, not at all surprised when he left the job in the hands of a local girl before going about his merry way. She wondered when she’d see him again; probably soon, it was Looker after all.

“I have a feeling he will.” Her friend mumbled and brought her back to reality again. She shook him off though, going for another drink of tea, but it was almost like magic when her Pokégear began to ring from her back pocket. She blinked, setting her mug down. Slowly reaching to unclip the modified electronic from her belt loop, and removing it from its hiding spot in her back pocket, she let her head fall to the side with a long groan. Oh did she pray that it was just someone who wanted a rematch with her; but when she flipped it open, Lance’s name was indeed the one displayed on the screen in bright letters. “See?” Ethan added, giggling as she threw him a poisonous glare. She slowly answered it after a deep, cleansing breath.

“Hey Lance, what’s up?” Her voice was unsure.

_ “Hey, I know you just got home,”  _ Yeah, just; like a yesterday kind of just _. “But I need you to fly up here real quick.” _ Fuck. Her head fell forward a bit in dread.

“Why?” She rubbed her forehead while staring at her countertop in a ferocious manner.

_ “There’s been a formal request.”  _ Was that so?

“For what?” Her voice probably sounded tired, because she really was. She hoped she didn’t have to do something stupid yet again; but a formal request was special and rare situation. A formal request meant one thing.

_ “A new Pokémon League in the Alola region.”  _ That had her standing up sharply, hand jerking and almost tipping her tea mug over as Ethan scrambled forward to grab it just before it did actually spill all over her counter.

“Where?” She questioned almost breathlessly at the man again—the one that helped her run the Plateau—her hand pressing the Pokégear closer to the ear, cupping the speaker so that she could hear better. She had to have misheard him.

_ “Alola.” _ Lance repeated the word slowly _ , “The professor of the region—I think his name is Kukui—yeah, so anyways…” _ Kukui, was all she could think about at that moment as she drowned the rest of Lances babble out. Kukui. Oh she remembered Kukui all right. Her fingers went back to the velvet clasped around her neck.

Kukui had been nearly seventeen when she’d first met him. He was almost done with the island region's trials, when she showed up on Melemele at the beginning of her ninth summer. She remembered him being kind—a bit too kind—but still the stand-able amount of kindness. Now, Kukui was the professor of his region. She was mildly impressed; but  _ he  _ wasn't ever too fond of Kukui. He never actually _ liked _ Kukui at all, if she was honest. All he wanted to do was beat the older trainer, and no matter how he worked, he never could win a single match. Even when Kukui told him that he could do great things, to never give up on himself after a defeat; he would always snap at the older boy and tell him to just  _ shut up _ . She remembered their one-sided rivalry vividly, never understanding why he just couldn’t stand even the sight of Kukui. Her index finger slid over the smooth, tear drop shaped scale at the hollow of her throat. Why was—

_ “Seven?” _ Lance called from the other end of the call. Oh shit, she’d gotten lost within her memories once again. Today was a bad day for that.  _ “You there?” _

“Ah, yeah.” She glanced up at Ethan, who bore this worried expression on his features. “I’m here. I’ll leave now, okay?” The line was silent for a moment before the dragon trainer replied very tentatively.

_ “Alright, see you in a sec.” _ Pulling the Pokégear from her ear, she snapped it shut, glancing over at Ethan again.

“I’ve got to—”

“Yeah, go.” The young man said. She wasted no time in grabbing the utility belt lined with her team's Pokéballs and medicine bag. It scraped off the counter top with a soft sound before she strapped it back around her waist, the bag still packed with healing items weighing heavy, causing the belt to hang lower on her left thigh than she probably would have liked—at this point, she let it do whatever. Her wallet was being tucked into her front pocket while she reclipped her Pokégear to its belt loop and pushed it into its place. She walked towards the door, pulling her hair back up in a tight ponytail before snatching her red hoodie from the coat hanger on the wall. One of her arms was already through a sleeve when she remembered something superduper important and quickly turned to face her childhood friend again. This was the second time in a month that she’d ask him this.

“Could you—?”

“Yeah,” Ethan smiled at her warmly, pulling his own Pokéball from the messenger bag that rested on the stool beside him. He tossed it to the wooden floor, and it bounced, releasing his Marill before launching back into his hand like a yo-yo. “I’ll watch your Sinnoh team for you, just let  _ me _ know the plan when  _ you _ know the plan, okay?” She nodded at him, her other arm finally in her hoodie’s sleeve before she rushed over and grabbed his face, kissing both of his cheeks quickly. Marill pawed at her pants for a moment.

“You’re a king Ethan. A perfect gem.” Her feet had already carried her back to the doorway, fingers placing her worn Team Rocket hat with its line of league pins back over her hair, and he waved at her.

“I know,” He paused before calling her name. When she turned back, he smiled at her once more. “Be careful out there, okay?” This time she was the one that grinned.

“Always.”

She was running through the little town she called her home as soon as her front door closed behind her. Professor Elm waved at her from his upper porch as she zoomed past, and she returned the gesture to the man that had given her her start in the world of Pokémon. She would forever owe the Professor a favor, and he usually called it in on nights she was actually home, inviting her and Ethan to dinner with his family. 

New Bark sailed past her before she finally made it to Route 29, and she picked the fourth out of the six Pokéballs that were strapped to her belt’s right side. She threw it out in front of her, and it bounced, releasing her off-colored Flygon—Kelpto—out into the world. The ball slung itself back into her hand. 

He glanced back at her and her foot falls; instantly knowing what was going on as he crouched down in preparation. Sliding to slow down, she placed her hands on his hips, and vaulted herself onto his back. Her hat was always the first thing she took off, and she snapped it to her belt loop before settling into a bent kneed straddle. She clasped this saddle's faux leather safety lines to her utility belt. She gripped at the main strap with twisting hands.

“Let’s go see Lance and Dragonite, buddy. You know the way.” Their momentum stopped for only a moment as she spoke. Klepto screeched into the air in reply, his tail lashing and wings fluttering as she simply tightened her hold and waited. 

She had always enjoyed flying, even if Kelpto’s take offs could be a bit on the rough side, she still enjoyed riding on his back. Plus, once he was leveled out, the ride was always so smooth and calming. She loved the sound his wings made as they continuously buzzed on the wind. It was a completely different experience from flying on her Sinnoh Staraptor—Kili’s—back. Kili had always been a bit more subdued anyway, and way more elegant.

Her hands gripped at the thick faux leather of the harness and saddle, safety lines holding her to the Pokémon’s back as soon as the flying dragon type crouched, and then barreled straight up through the air, wings flapping so incredibly fast she could barely see them. The ascent was harsh, but Klepto soon found the appropriate altitude, and sharply leveled out—she thanked the gods.

Her tied hair flew in the wind behind her, scarlet hoodie catching air as she slowly let go of the strap and straightened out. She held her arms straight out and into the sky, grinning. Boy did she love to fly. It was the only time her mind actually stopped all its stupid overthinking, since she could only take in exactly what it felt like to soar through the clouds. She could yell, scream, and shout, but the wind would only whip her voice away as soon as the sound escaped her lips. Kelpto glanced back at her when she did so, making sure that she was still present and okay on his back, even if he could feel her weight; and she couldn’t express how much she appreciated that. They continued towards the Plateau, the Flygon passed through, under, or over white puffs before she caught the sight of the almost castle-like structure with Mt. Silver standing tall behind it as a sheer warning. 

Klepto shifted in the air and began his dive. Slightly tucking his wings back, and she leaned forward, gripping at his harness once more. She whooped as the air pulled tears from her eyes. This, was her second favorite part.

Lance was waiting for her in the grass as she disconnected her belt from Kelpto’s saddle and slid off of the Flygon’s back. The other redhead’s Pokémon soon pushed out of his ball. Dragonite hit the ground running, and her off-colored Flygon got a bit antsy beside her as she readjusted the faux leather harness and its buckles that wrapped around his chest and belly before she sidestepped and let him go. She watched as the two dragon types collided, furiously wrestling in the grass together, all kinds of playful growls and sounds coming from the two as they rolled through the wild flowers. Giggling, she glanced back over to Lance, who was smiling at her softly with his hands tucked into his pockets and his hair all spiked up—same old Lance. She placed her hat back on her head.

She’d beaten Lance when she was thirteen; but she’d met him when she was eleven. When she accidently managed to get wrapped up in the whole Team Rocket situation that next summer when she was visiting her aunty in Kanto. She hadn’t had a Pokémon at that point, but she would have died defending one if she had to. That was how he found her, pointing a tiny pocket knife at a stupid grunt who was trying to steal a terrified Ponyta straight from the wild. She was holding her own—not very well—but she was still holding. Lance had soon stepped in for her, his Dragonite larger than life as they quite literally scared the hat right off the grunt who could have only been a few years older than her.

Lance had smiled at her, picked up the cap that the grunt had dropped, and placed it backwards on her head. He told her that she was a very brave kid, and that she could accomplish anything she wanted with that kind attitude; and then he was on his way, cape fluttering in the summer wind like some kind of main character. They met multiple times after that, because she did all she could to screw up Team Rocket’s plans with that grunts hat still backwards on her head. 

She’d gotten a hold of door keys and blueprints; she had even had on a uniform at one point as she helped Lance, and this boy named Red sneak through the bases of Kanto. The dragon trainer always gave her high amounts of shit in those days, telling her she was too young for this, but he never ever turned her help down. Her mind was made up after that summer, and as soon as she returned home at the beginning of that fall, she took in her first Pokémon from Professor Elm— and then her father disappeared from their house a little more than a week later.

All of his stuff was just gone one morning, and she didn’t know what had happened until she saw his scribbled note on the fridge. It stated that he was not going to stick around if she was going to ruin her promising future in school by becoming a Pokémon trainer. He’d transferred everything to her. The house she had grown up in was now in her name. The bills—every single one of them—was also her burden that morning she woke up alone with only the  Cyndaquil she’d just named by her side. 

The next months were hell, and she worked her ass off, training with her Pokémon; and by the time she had turned twelve, the money came so easily, her aunty didn’t need to assist her anymore. She won battles, challenged gyms, and by the time she had gotten to Goldenrod, she had a team of two. Her Cyndaquil, Flame; and her Vulpix, Fei. Soon after arriving in the city, Efah the Eevee, had joined them too.

Lance motioned her inside, where the Elite Four waited for them; the red-haired former champion, and his scarlet headed heir.


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seven’s different Pokémon teams: (real in-game pokémon)  
> Main:  
> Fei: male Vulpix  
> Flame: male Typhlosion  
> Anubis: male Lucario  
> Lightning: male shiny Manectric  
> Klepto: male shiny Flygon  
> Efah: male Umbreon
> 
> Alola:  
> Izroul: male Absol  
> Samurai: male Ribombee  
> Hydrangea: female Salazzle  
> Locksley: male Decidueye  
> Yabuki: male Kommo-o  
> Erebus: male midnight Lycanroc
> 
> Sinnoh:  
> Sugar: female Happiny  
> Auden: male Rapidash  
> Slade: male Skunktank  
> Kili: male Staraptor  
> Liya: female Luxray  
> Coca-Cola: male Floatzel

She stood on the bow of a cruise ship—again—fingering the half silver and gold whistle that hung low from her neck. Fei cooed from the deck beside her feet, his face sticking between the bars of the railing as the little fire type enjoyed the blowing sea air. She was not as relaxed as the Vuplix, as she was enroute, and going back to Alola. She dropped the important cylinder of metal, letting it hit her upper stomach lightly. 

It had been a good ten years since she had set foot on Melemele island. She continued to worry needlessly until a truly cold pang hit her in the chest, and she whipped her  Pokégear out from her back pocket to dial Ethan. It rang, and rang, and kept ringing until it just stopped. She pulled the device away from her ear and sighed, glancing down at Fei.

“He must be asleep, huh?” The Vulpix looked up at her and cooed again in that cute way. She wasn’t surprised, Ethan was definitely the king of naps; and he always fell asleep in her house—it never failed. Especially since Sugar, her Happiny, was constantly taking very good care of her fellow team mates, and Ethan was usually included in that mix. She’d watched Sugar at work many times. The little Pokémon always gently fluffing the pillow under Ethans head, patting him on the forehead as he slowly drifted off. Then, the little nurse would move on to make sure the others were comfortable, and then finally hop up into her lap, promptly passing out against her side. Sugar was a strange one, but she was glad she had someone watching over everything in the house, including the babysitter.

Fei chirped at her, and she glanced back down at the little Pokémon.

“What?” She questioned the fire type who simply rubbed his head against her right pant leg. That was his tell; he wanted her to pick him up. So she reached down and scooped up the Vulpix, holding him against her chest as they looked out on the ocean. For a moment, her fingers played with the whistle on its long chain again, and she wondered where Lugia was before her mind wandered all the way back to Alola, and she felt velvet. Her other palms thumb gently rubbed a circle into the fur on Fei’s shoulder, and he purred, resting his head under her chin. “I wonder if I’ll see him again. What do you think?” She glanced down, and the Pokémon in her grasp cooed again as she smiled —a bit sadly that time . “I forgot; I met him before you.” And she booped the Vulpix’s nose.

The Plateau had set her up with an air bnb this time, and she was so happy when she stepped into the house she had all to herself and set her single duffle bag down. Her shoulders were weak, she was tired. It hadn’t fully registered in her mind that she was there, in Alola again. She knew she was there, but there wasn’t any buzzing in her head yet, she was just that exhausted. 

The one bag was all she had—the one of two she left in lockers at both the train station and docks for situations like the current—and when she lifted that back up, she turned and locked the door, shuffling off to find the bedroom. She did not care what the house looked like, she only wanted to sleep, and Fei followed after her, the Shellbell around his neck tinkling in the dark quietly.

She dropped her bag again, and flipped on the light to see a beautifully made bed. She groaned in pure appreciation. Tipping her hat off, and then her hoodie, she threw them somewhere. Her fingers unlaced her ragged cloth shoes so that she could slip out of them. Her utility belt was next, and she unbuckled it from around her waist. Laying it on the bedside table, she could see the minimized Pokéballs within wiggle. Fei yawned; she yawned and then felt bad.

“I’m sorry guys, hang on.” Unzipping the medicine pack she had hidden them in, she pulled out the five different balls, and turned to stumble out of the bedroom while she grabbed her duffle again. She slid her free hand over the wall in the main room before she actually found the light switch and flipped it on. Her Vulpix trotted to the center of the floor and stretched a big boy stretch. 

The place they had booked for her was pretty cute actually, with all the creams and soft blues. She liked it. There was a sliding glass door to her left, and she had trouble with it for only a moment before she figured its lock out, and slowly slid it open. Dropping her bag on the outdoor floor boards, she dug out some of the poffins she’d made the day she had gotten home. She soon stood up on the low porch, and threw the five balls out one at a time, Fei slowly settling himself beside her feet as she did so. His Greatball had remained tucked into the overfull medicine bag in the room since he had travelled with her like he usually did.

There was a normal red and white ball for her baby Flame. The Typhlosion landed hard on his feet, and she knew he was about to release his war cry and ignite his fire when she shushed him as she gave the Vulpix his share first. The large teal and tan Pokémon, covered in fire enhancing charcoal swirls, stared at her for a moment before becoming sheepish. Flame dropped down and scurried over toward her, and she placed a kiss on the top of his head when she handed him his share of dinner. 

The next sphere was a Duskball for her Lucario; Anubis, whom she met during her first time in Kalos. The steel fighting type was quiet when he appeared in the yard, and he even adjusted the mega evolution bracelet on his wrist so that the stone pointed up before he nodded to her in greeting. Anubis took a few smooth steps towards her, and she handed him his choice in poffin, the Pokémon accepting it graciously before settling himself in the lotus position on the porch close by.

She threw Klepto’s Nestball out into the open space, the large off-colored Flygon bursting out in a shimmer of stars, almost screaming his own battle cry before Anubis held his paw up to silence the dragon type. Kelpto landed in the lawn softly when the Pokémon noticed that it was indeed nighttime. Instead of shaking himself out like he normally would, her Flygon simply stretched before she threw him a large poffin, which he managed to catch with his little arms. She smiled sleepily and grabbed the next ball.

Her hand cast out a Friendball, watching her second off-color Pokémon come into her dim view. While Kelpto was blue and orange, her Manectric—Lightning—was black and gold. His thick fur sparked with static as he shook himself out and stretched like the good boy he was. Lightning trotted towards her, and she offered him a poffin, which he gently took from her grasp before he plopped himself in the grass to naw on it.. He was always so careful with her, not wanting to shock her, even if she gave him static inducing belly rubs all the time.

The last ball was an Ultraball, one that held the sassiest Pokémon she’d ever raised—ever. Efah dropped to the ground with unparalleled grace before the Umbreon decided to grace her with his red gaze. He stalked up to her, everything about him completely put together, and as she held his poffin out to him, he looked at it for a long moment, sniffed it, and then nodded his approval. Though he was very snooty, and very uppity, he always wanted her to personally hand feed him as he sat impossibly close to her. She placed herself on the first stair of the porch, and he ascended to place himself beside her. Breaking off a piece, she offered it to him, and he took it with an elegant movement.

She sat like that on the porch, in the middle of the night, with only the light from the house as she watched her team devour their meals; continuing to tear pieces of Efah’s poffin and feed it to him. When she got everyone fed and ushered inside—somehow managing to squeeze Kelpto through the door—she put them to bed. Her Flygon, Typhlosion, and Lucario remained in the living room; the dragon and fire curling up together on the rug in front of the tv while Anubis opted for the couch. Everyone else went with her.

Her body hit the sheets, eyes glancing at the necklaces she’d taken off and put on the nightstand, and she quickly pulled the covers over her still clothed body, soon feeling both Efah and Fei twirl and find their comfort somewhere within the bed spread close by. Lightning’s claws clicked on the wooden floor—that she hoped was all throughout the little house—before he quite loudly dropped into a position beside the bed. That night, she didn’t have time to feel lonely.

There was this ungodly knocking at the door some point in the early morning. She groaned and turned her face, eyes flickering open to see Lightning already stood in a warning stance at the bedroom doorway. Sparks rolled over his black fur as he growled to alert her of the situation. Fei was standing on the corner of the bed, staring, six tails raised in the air while Efah just barely lifted his head. Though, when she got out of the sleep-warm comfort, the dark type quickly stood and followed behind her with both Lightning and Fei at her heels. The knocking continued.

When she stepped into the living room, she finally re-comprehended that she had indeed slept in her clothes, but she didn’t really have time to care at that moment because Anubis was perched on the back of the couch. His legs still crossed from his morning meditation when he turned, and she ended up locking eyes with him. She stared at her Lucario, and he stared at her, until she noticed Klepto and Flame still curled up and passed out on the floor between the couch and the tv wall.

Anubis shifted then, and he motioned her attention back to the door that was still being knocked upon. The one that Lightning was slowly stalking towards, static snapping between his toe pads and the floor they touched. She quickly hissed at the Manectric, and he stopped in his tracks as she called him back. Lightning turned and it took a moment before he trotted back towards her. She pointed to the couch, asking the Vulpix, Umbreon, and Manectric to wait with Anubis as she stumbled over to answer the door.

Rubbing her eyes, she unlocked, and pulled the door open only a crack, greeted with the face of an older, and slightly bearded Kukui. It all came rushing back to her in one heavy fucking swoop, and she almost slammed the door in his face. She almost did it again when he actually greeted her.

“Hey cuz!” Her body actually flinched back a bit, because she was actually there and he was talking to her just a little too loud for the time day. “I was told this place was getting rented out for a while, and I thought I would come greet the renter—you!” He held a hand out to her, like she didn’t know who he was, but she took it, sliding her hand between the door frame and the door.

“My name is Kukui, I’m the region's Professor.” She nodded, because again, she knew that already. 

“I’m Seven.” He just looked at her for a moment, and so she said it again. “Everyone just calls me Seven.” It seemed he did not know who she was as he slowly let go of her hand.

“Well, it’s nice to meetcha Seven.” Kukui’s face scrunched a bit as he continued to stare at her. “Actually, have we met before? I’m getting this weird sense of deja vu.” Yes and no? She shook her head though, because he only ever knew her as Lyra, years ago when she was still a kid and still unsure about herself. Now—and many bottles of red hair dye later—she was Seven; champion of the Plateau, and Lyra was no more.

“No, I’m sorry.” She answered, combing some of her scarlet hair out of her face.

“It’s just…” Kukui trailed off, glancing down as his smile fell until he perked right back up. Yes, it was safe to say he was exactly the same. “Ah, never mind! You’re new, and that’s exciting. Why don’t you come into town and I can introduce you to everyone?” She hesitated, her body holding the width of the open door as she rubbed her eyes again. Gods, she probably was a walking mess.

“I’m still really tired from yesterday, and—” He waved her off.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. I can come get you later today, that gives you time to recuperate.” Kukui grinned at her, and she sputtered for a moment before giving in and agreeing. “Great! I’ll see you later then.” He stepped off her front porch, and gave her another one of those grins and a wave. She waved back, and then slowly shut her door.

“Ah shit.” She rubbed at her forehead as she pressed her back into the wooden door. Efah strode over to her, his steps so very elegant while Fei trotted, and Lightning bounded. Flame and Klepto were up now, their faces peeking over the back of the couch as Anubis dropped to the floor from his lotus position. The Lucario made his way towards her, placed his paw against her arm in comfort, since he had definitely read her suddenly queasy aura. She glanced at Anubis, and her Pokémon nodded at her. Breathing out, she made herself a mental to-do list. “Okay, I need to shower, get dressed, feed y'all breakfast, and you guys have to go back into your balls before I leave. They can’t know why I’m here, remember?” Her team looked a little sad for a moment, but they knew the drill by now, there were just certain places that they all needed to be away, and this was one of them. After all, Lance had asked her to be as incognito as possible; to get an accurate assessment of their trials and League—or, whatever. 

She was getting dressed, adjusting the black of her cargo pants and grey of her tank top. Strapping her utility belt and medicine bag back to her hip, she collected all of the minimized Pokéballs that were laid out on the bed before she tucked them away. Her fingers adjusted her fresh braid in the mirror and she slipped her too large hoodie back on. 

She loved that red thing, having received it from Professor Elm just before she’d left for her journey out and into the big wide world. It was almost the same shade as her hair now, but it was complete with white embellishments that she thought looked badass. There were three stripes on her right sleeve, a large seven boxed in on the back of it, and even the hood strings were white. It was getting old and fraying at the sleeve cuffs, but oh well, she’d had it since she was young anyway. 

She reached for the nightstand; the velvet was first to go back around her neck, and her finger stroked the smoothness of the scale at the hollow of her throat before she lifted the half-and-half whistle into its position once more.

That fading black Team Rocket hat was always last at being settled into its place, backwards of course. The large R still standing out against the dark fabric, the golden pins along the bottom hem of one side clinked softly as she checked herself over in the mirror and realized something—she really did just look like a trainer, huh? Well, she was. She couldn't change that, no matter what others wanted of her.

Her fingers tucked some baby hairs behind her ear when there was a knock on the front door, and she turned, only to hear it open, and the person come right on in. She poked her head out of her bedroom, and she stared at Kukui like he was an insane man. He had just entered her temporary home without her permission, and he was just looking around the house with this soft inquisitive expression on his face. Then he saw her staring at him from behind the door frame.

“Hey cuz, ready to go?” The professor smiled at her widely like he hadn’t just done what he did, and she actually giggled a little bit before she stepped out into the hallway. She shook her head.

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Awesome, let’s hit it.” He led her out of her rental house, down the front steps, and into the dimming light of the Alolan evening. They talked idly along the way, and she told him that she was from Kanto, not Johto. She told him she was here for some vacation time, and when he asked her if she had experience with Pokémon, she said a little. She didn’t lie to him anymore than that, and he soon patted the back of her shoulder when they made it to Iki Town. When she had been nine years old, she’d had this island memorized, and it hadn't changed a bit. She smiled. “Welcome to Iki Town, Seven.” She heard herself mumble a thank you as she took it all back in.

There were soft twinkling fairy lights strung from roof to roof, and even the stage in the center of all the houses had tiki torches circling in this oddly grand manner. Children ran about, and even the adults seemed excited. It took her a moment to realize that there was a festival going on, and that she had walked into the middle of it. She suddenly understood why Kukui wanted her to come out today, this was out of the ordinary and was special.

“You’re just in time for the early summer festival.” He motioned around them, and even spun in a bit of a circle. “Come on, let’s go meet Hala.” Kukui drug her over to an older man with a mustache. And by mustache, she meant  _ mustache _ in every sense of the word. He wore sandals on his feet, and a yellow haori style cover over his shoulders. The man’s hands were perpetually at the rope belt tied around his waist in a big knot. She couldn’t tell if he was looking at her, and she felt a bit awkward because she wanted to know if he was. She vaguely seemed to remember him as well.

“Hala, this is Seven. She’s the one renting out that house down the road.” The man, Hala, lifted his eyebrows a bit, and then smiled at her while he nodded.

“Welcome to Alola! It’s very nice to meet you, Seven.” He paused, and Kukui looked at her with this amusing smile on his face. She knew it was coming too. “You do know you have a peculiar name, right?” Hala asked, and she actually laughed, the tension melting from her shoulders.

“Yes sir, I do.” The older man nodded and made a grunting noise in approval. They stood in a comfortable silence, and she glanced around them again, actually hearing gentle music before Hala tilted his head to the side as he stared at her. She’d suddenly gotten nervous, her shoulders tensing. She shifted her feet, and looked in every direction except the one Hala stood in.

“There’s something about you that’s strange.” Her hesitant gaze fell back on the yellow wearing man, and Kukui was glancing between both her, and Hala with a smile.

“I’m sorry?”

“I don’t mean to sound rude, there’s just something odd about you.” Hala rubbed his thumbs along the rough texture of his rope belt. “Where are you from?” Maybe it was her fashion that was throwing him? She could only hope they had no idea what the pins on her hat meant.

“She’s from Kanto.” Kukui filled in the blanks for her, and she flicked her gaze over to the younger man, because she could speak for herself, thank you. Then her attention moved back to Hala, the older man nodded in consideration.

“I see. Come with me for a moment, young lady?” Hala took her arm softly, and he began to lead her away from Kukui. She looked back at the Professor sharply, seeing him smiling that stupid smile as he waved sarcastically at her. At least he learned sarcasm while she was gone. The old man led her feet to a small hut, and he easily held the door open for her. When she didn’t walk in, he motioned her forward. She didn’t feel in any danger when she glanced at him, so she took a few steps in, and her heart instantly soared through the roof.

In front of her were what Professor Oak and Elm properly called “Starter Pokémon”. A grass, fire, and water type that only certain people will be given to begin their Pokémon journey with. That is what her Flame was. He was a fire Starter that chose her when he was presented to her on the floor of Elm’s lab. Starters were always so heckin’ cute, but they only ever meant one thing.

Oh hell.

Hala walked in after her, shutting the door behind him.

“The one on the far left is Popplio, the water type.” The old man pointed to the twirling little blue thing with a frilly and cute pink nose. It was playing and splashing loudly in its little kiddy pool full of floating ball toys. Indeed, a very adorable Pokémon, but not one who wanted her. “The one in the center is Litten, the fire type.” She could have already told him its typing from its shading; black and red, like embers. Litten appealed to her color pallet nicely, but it only continued to lick its paw as she glanced at it, and its array of black plush Ratatta. Still no. She just needed one more no. Something ran head first into her leg, and she glanced down to see a tilted face gazing up at her. A resounding yes. Ah fuck, again?

“And that, is Rowlet; the grass type.” She crouched down, and the little bird Pokémon took no time shuffling and bouncing around until it stood proudly in front of her with its plumage all ruffled. Offering it her hand to smell, it didn’t surprise her when it nibbled on the tip of one of her fingers, and then rubbed its cheek along her knuckles, seeking her attention. Flame was the same way; well, all of her Pokémon were. She giggled and gently scratched at the downy and pale feathers of its face. She actually really liked this one—which was interesting, since she already had not one, but two separate teams, and she’d never once had a grass type on either. She’d never raised a grass type before.

“Just as I thought.” Hala said from above her, and she glanced up at him with a sigh. “You’re a trainer, aren’t you?” She smiled a bit at him in a tired manner, and then turned her face back down to coo at the little bird Pokémon who returned a warbly little sound as she stoked the underside of its beak. Hala then stepped around her. He reached up to a shelf, where he pulled down a Pokéball, before he easily offered it to her.

“This is his ball.” Her fingers carefully took it from the older man’s grasp. Minimizing it without a second thought, she placed it in the first position within the ball holder that lined the right side of her utility belt. She offered her arms to the Rowlet—who did not even have to think about it as it leaped at her. Standing with the little grass bird cradled in her arms, she caught Hala’s gaze once more, and he nodded at her. 

“Wanna tell me where you’re really from now?” The older man asked with crossed arms.

“Apologise, Hala.” She smiled sheepishly. “My name is Seven, and I’m actually from Johto. I've been sent to check out your Pokémon League.” His thick eyebrows raised, but he smiled at her again. 

“Well, we weren't expecting you till later in the year.” He said softly, and she nodded.

“Yeah, Lance tends to like keeping people on their toes.” She paused. “My being here doesn't inconvenience you, does it?”

“Absolutely not.” Hala said gruffly. “But I do have to ask, why did they send someone here so early? The League isn't finished yet.” Her head tilted to the side as she hummed. 

“Ah, well, you see, it was a bit of a mixed reason.” Her thumb stroked the face feathers of the Rowlet in her arms, the one that was slowly beginning to fall asleep. “Alola is the only region that doesn’t have proper gyms, and the Plateau wanted to know how the trials work.” 

“You needed enough time to challenge them.” Hala finished for her, and she nodded again. It was quiet for a moment, and she glanced at the snoozing grass type nuzzled against her arms; while finding the other two still constantly playing by themselves. “And the other reason?” That’s when she felt sheepish once more, and it probably showed on her face. 

“I came here when I was a little kid,” She started, curling in on herself just a little bit. “And I wanted to know if it was the same; maybe see an old friend.” The older man snorted softly in response. 

“I see.” He continued to look at her for a moment. “May I ask who this old friend is? Maybe I can help you find them.” She hesitated. For whatever reason, she hesitated before saying his name. 

“Guzma,” Her voice said softly, like it was sacreligious to even mention him here—which felt weird to her. “The boy with the Wimpod?” And Hala inhaled deeply before slowly letting the breath back out. 

“You might check Po Town, on Ula’ula Island.”

“Po Town?” She asked, and the man in yellow nodded, hands resting on his rope belt again. 

“Po Town.” Hala rested a hand on her shoulder, and she glanced up at him slightly. “Come, we have to get you a trial pass then.” He then ushered her out of the hut, and back into the festivities.


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seven’s different Pokémon teams: (real in-game pokémon)  
> Main:  
> Fei: male Vulpix  
> Flame: male Typhlosion  
> Anubis: male Lucario  
> Lightning: male shiny Manectric  
> Klepto: male shiny Flygon  
> Efah: male Umbreon
> 
> Alola:  
> Izroul: male Absol  
> Samurai: male Ribombee  
> Hydrangea: female Salazzle  
> Locksley: male Decidueye  
> Yabuki: male Kommo-o  
> Erebus: male midnight Lycanroc
> 
> Sinnoh:  
> Sugar: female Happiny  
> Auden: male Rapidash  
> Slade: male Skunktank  
> Kili: male Staraptor  
> Liya: female Luxray  
> Coca-Cola: male Floatzel

She sat on the back porch that night, feeding Efah his poffin and watching Flame and Lightning play with the new team member. They were careful, understanding that the Rowlet was only a baby as they both took turns pawing at the bird’s head. Fei was in her lap as she broke another piece of Efah’s poffin off, offering it to the dark type Pokémon. Anubis stood on the top step next to her, paw resting on the railing while Klepto licked his claws clean of his dinner.

Her head tilted to the side, and she picked off another hunk for Efah to eat. She had no idea what to call the little Rowlet. Not a clue in the world, actually. She fed the last little bit of poffin to her Umbreon before she slid the Pokégear from her back pocket and pushed it open. Tapping the bottom screen, she pulled up her Pokédex, and cooed quietly at the grass type. When it turned its head at her, she took a picture, and waited for the results of the search.

_“Rowlet; the grass quill Pokémon. Typing; grass flying. Abilities; overgrow. Region; Alola._ _Silently it glides, drawing near its targets. Before they even notice it, it begins to pelt them with vicious kicks._ _It feels relaxed in tight, dark places and has been known to use its Trainer’s pocket or bag as a nest. Evolves into Dartrix.”_ The voice of her Pokégear concluded.

“Huh.” She mumbled to herself, and she thought about it. “The grass quill Pokémon…Quills, kinda like arrows?” Then she tried the things she’d always done, her other Pokémon chose their names, more or less. She’d called out a few, and whichever one they responded to, she gave them. The longest amount of time that she’d searched for a name, was actually for Efah, no surprise. Yet, Efah had also decided what Eeveelution he wanted to be by simply choosing his name, so she assumed it was a much bigger deal. She cooed the names she thought of.

“Quill?” Nothing. “Archer?” Nope. She tapped her chin in thought. “Bastille?” Anubis looked over at her at that one, and she just shrugged her apologizes.

“Robin?” Still no. “Hood?” Definitely not. The little bird Pokémon continued to play with Flame and Lightning, Kelpto having joined in now. Her Flygon nipped at the grass type's feathers.

“Locksley?” The Rowlet stopped, she tried that one again. “Locksley.” The grass type turned towards her once more, and she called the name sweetly. “Come here, Locksley.” He took flight, coming at her with silent wing flaps, and she held her arm out for him to perch on. Locksley tilted his face, and she giggled as Fei stretched up to sniff the little bird’s foot. Efah leaned over her shoulder, and Flame sat up on his haunches in the yard. She giggled happily as she stroked the smooth feathers of Locksley’s face.

“Hello Locksley, it’s so nice to meet you. Welcome to the family.” Anubis dropped down beside her, and he reached a paw out to pat the top of the Rowlets head. Oof, that little bird was heavy after a while.

By the time she’d gotten on the ferry from Melemele to Akala, she was beginning to get nervous again. Melemele was neatly exactly how she’d left it as a child, and the trials there had been simple enough to complete. She did not mean to start a whole new adventure, but there she was, carrying her original team of six, and now a new team of two. 

She’d called Lance a few nights ago, and she told him what was going on. She could hear him shrug on the other end, asking her if she was up for another adventure; of course, she said yes. Then she tried to call Ethan again, and she actually got a hold of him; but she could hear Sugar scolding her other Pokémon somewhere in his background. She told him what was up that time. She told him where she was, what was happening, and when she estimated that she’d be back in Johto. Ethan agreed with her, and told her not to worry too much, that they both had this in the bag.

She slid her Pokégear shut, and she bit her thumb nail as she leaned on the ferries railing watching the warm sea flow past. A head bumped her leg, and she glanced down to see her Rockruff, Erebus panting and staring up at her like she was the moon. Reaching down, she pet his head before sighing and just picking him up; cradling him in her arms like she did with Fei. She continued to stare out at the ocean for a long time until she finally noticed just how heavy her hood was getting from the weight of Locksley sleeping in it.

She was about to say something about it to the puppy in her arms, but something was said by the couple talking to her left. Again, it was something about the dreaded Team Skull of Ula’ula. She’d heard quite a lot about them in the past few days since she had arrived, but she still decided to listen in silently. Both Hala and Kukui had mentioned them to her, told her to watch out and lay low. It was strange, everytime this new team was brought up —Hala would look at her with this strangely sad expression on his face.

The people of Alola really seemed to be terrified of them, but she only felt curious; especially when the couple mentioned Po Town.

Finally, the trial Lurantis fell, and she called her Sandlit—Hydrangea—back towards her. Holy shit. Gym battles were usually really rough, but a Pokémon that had severe stat boosts and allies to rely on was proving to be just as bad, and could go on twice as long it seemed. She let out a breath as the green-haired Mallow bounced towards her.

“Hey Seven, that was so cool! You looked like a real professional out there!” She smiled —l ike she wasn’t a pro already. Mallow clapped her hands together and jumped a little bit. “That was definitely one of the fastest times anyone ever took down Lurantis!” She gave a thumbs up to the captain as she re-released the Pokémon she’d used in that battle; which was like — everyone. She’d since gotten a few additions to the team since the day on the ferry, and she was now up to a solid four members.

Her Locksley had evolved into a Dartrix, just like her Pokégear said he would. A grass ghost type was next, and that was an interesting combination and exciting to her.Yet for now, her precious bird baby looked like a teenager going through a phase, and she wasn’t sure she liked it at all. She reached out and adjusted some of the feathers on his head and in his wings before she handed him a bean to chew on as a reward for his hard work.

Erebus was next, and he was large now. No longer was he the cute little Rockruff she had befriended on Ten Karat Hill. Now, he was a Lycanrock—the scary night time version—with scarlet fur and a gruff attitude. She brushed his mohawk out, and wiped the mud off of his face and paws. She then handed him a bean, and he awooed at her quietly. He was still so sweet to her, always so gentle too.

She had a Sandlit now, one she found at the volcano park before the fire trial. Unknown to her at the time, only the females evolved, and she wouldn't have figured that out until she’d taken a snapshot for the Alolan Pokédex after Kiawe’s trial on the top of the mountain. She had gotten super lucky having caught Hydrangea, and not a male. Her Sandlit seemed to like only the purple Pokébeans—so she always made sure to stock up on those.

Her Ribombee was the latest edition to her team, and his name was Samurai. Samurai, was scary. Not in the literal sense, of course. Physically, the Ribombee was adorable in every way, shape, and form. It was just when he was battling. She’d never expected that much power from a bug type Pokémon, then again, Samurai was also a fairy type; so ideally, she should’ve known immediately. She wiped the mud off of the little bugs head as she handed him half of a yellow bean.

Mallow gifted her the z-crystal, this smile on the girl’s face as she accepted it, and placed it in her pouch with the others she’d received. She had this ever-growing pile, and no way to use them. Hala had told her one evening over tea that the crystals were kind of like the badge system, but they had more uses than telling where someone had been and who they had beaten. By that time, the older man had not only met her new team, but her original team as well. He told her that the z-crystals were kind of like the mega stone Anubis wore around his wrist, matching the activation bangle that hung on her utility belt. But while she had a way to use Anubis’s stone, she didn't have one for the z-crystals. Hala said that those were usually gifted to certain types of people, and that he had no doubt she’d somehow end up with one.

She was running, yet again, but this time, she did not throw a ball out. Nor did she reach for her belt at all as she skidded in the sand, landing on her hip like she was stealing third base as she reached up to catch the flailing Pikipek. Her arms cradled the newly hatched Pokémon—in any other case it would have had no trouble flying—to her chest as she fell back into the sand herself, breathing heavily because gods, she hated running in the sand. Her eyes stared up at the sheer cliff face, watching the parent Toucannon dive down towards them. She sighed heavily and lifted her head up, softly cooing to the terrified little bird. 

“Hey little thing, it’s okay.” She said quietly as the large Toucannon landed a pace or so away, wary of her, but also worried about the baby in her arms. She continued to talk as she stroked the downy red feathers atop its little head for a moment. It took the tiny Pokémon a few minutes before it finally managed to stop trembling, and then it glanced up at her and peeped. Giggling, she carefully let it rest on her stomach with an easy smile. She gently booped its beak tip with a finger, slowly sat up—knowing she was  _ covered _ in sand—and then twisted herself a bit to dig around in her belt’s bag for a moment. Pulling out an orange Pokébean, she quickly tore it in half and offered the Pikipek one side, and the Toucannon the other. “There you go,” She sighed softly as the little bird began to peck at the fruit’s flesh. 

It was a short time later that the Toucannon took her up on the offer of food, having decided she was no threat to them. While mama bird ate, she gingerly checked the baby for any injuries; assessing its wings and feet. Finding nothing, she was satisfied to sit in the cool sand under the shade of the clift, the blue ocean less than two hundred feet away. Yeah, this was nice. It was especially nice when she offered the Toucannon a hand again, and the larger bird gently nibbled at her finger. 

When she decided it was all good to move everyone, she offered a few fingers for the Pikipek to perch upon. Soon, they began their accent up the hill, and she smiled as the Toucannon kept pace alongside her, its tail feathers swaying as it walked along the gently worn path. When they finally reached where all of this had begun, she set the little Pokémon upon the ground beside its mother. As the Pikipek stepped off her fingers, the Toucannon gently nibbled at her cheek and hair. 

“No problem.” She giggled into the affectionate grooming.

When she stepped back onto the beach under the cliff, Erebus suddenly pushed his way out of his ball before he groaned at just the mere fact of sunlight. She scolded him then, asking what he was doing out if he didn't like the sun in the first place; but he continued on without acknowledging her.

“Erebus, what are you doing?” The crimson creature lumbered away from her, over to the disturbed sand she had been sitting in, grumbling as he walked. She watched him, head tilted to the side as the nighttime creature reached down and picked something up. Erebus turned, making his way back to her; and when he stood before her, he offered her his paws. 

She’d blinked harshly, feeling an intense sensation of deja vu from when Anubis had offered her his mega evolution ring. Her fingers took the black bracelet from the wolfish Pokémon, eyebrows raised; and then she smiled. Now, she could fight Olvia with the utmost confidence.

**Author's Note:**

> Have a good day, night, whatever!


End file.
